Police hunt man who 'let dog off lead to attack school kids'

IRVINE officers are trying to trace the owner of the brown Staffordshire Terrier after he apparently let the dog off its leash and encouraged it to attack the group of Greenwood Academy pupils last month.

POLICE are hunting a man who allegedly let his dog off the lead to attack school kids.

Irvine officers are trying to trace the owner of the Staffordshire Terrier after he apparently let the dog off its leash and encouraged it to attack the group of Greenwood Academy pupils last month.

The man, described as around 30 years old, six foot tall and slim build was wearing a black hooded top and jogging bottoms when he and the dog emerged from an underpass leading to Cairmore Way at around 4.05pm on Thursday, January 29.

The man unleashed the dog, the parent of one of the pupils suggesting the owner ‘gestured towards the dog to attack’ the pupils causing fear and alarm.

The Greenwood pupils fled the scene as the dog was let off, the hound pursuing the children but eventually giving up after a short while.

Police have confirmed this week that the dog did not make contact with any of the pupils.

One of the students returned home from the incident and raised the alarm to a parent, who called the police to report the incident.

Police say they are treating the incident as an ‘indirect assault’.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC. Hopton and Irvine police office on 101.

A Police spokesman said: “Police are appealing for witnesses after a male described as about 30 years old 6 foot tall and slim build, wearing a black hooded top and black jogging bottoms, accompanied by a brown Staffordshire terrier dog.

“Who while in the underpass leading to Cairmore Way in Irvine is believed to have set the dog after a group of school children.

“The incident took place at 4.05pm on Thursday, January 29.”

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